Chapter 1

‘All I’m saying is I think you should go……. you’ve come on so much since the last time you saw them’ Lucy stated as she and Sue entered the pen.

‘No Luce…….. you saw how bad it was at the wedding……….’ Sue was almost shouting her response, bringing Jack rapidly to his feet, concern written over his handsome face.

‘OK YOU?’ he signed once he’d got Sue’s attention.

‘No……’ she murmured, casting a dark look at Lucy.

‘Sue’s been invited to her High School reunion but she doesn’t want to go and I told her she should……..’

‘Surely Sue should make up her own mind about that Lucy’ Jack stated softly, ensuring he was in Sue’s eye-line.

‘It would be good for her, she can show them just what she’s achieved……’ Lucy was like a dog with a bone and Jack knew she was only succeeding in winding Sue up. He’d not seen the wild-eyed look she was now wearing for some time. He grinned wryly, it was almost certainly the last time he’d annoyed her, whenever that was. To his regret he seemed to rile her fairly often, either because he was putting himself in danger or because he was trying to stop her from putting herself in danger.

‘So, is it a special reunion?’ he asked softly.

‘No, they have one every year and each year she ducks out’ Lucy stated.

Watching Sue chewing her bottom lip as tears pricked her eyes, Jack took the initiative.

‘Sue, we have that interview in half an hour, we need to go……’

She looked at him in confusion before realising that he was once again riding to her rescue, a very sexy and handsome knight in shining armour.

‘Sure, sorry…….’ she waited while Jack slipped on his jacket and picked up his keys before following him out of the pen.

‘Do we have an interview I forgot?’ she asked softly as he held the car door open for her.

‘No, but it looked as though things were getting a little out of control there, I thought maybe you needed rescuing……. I though maybe we could go grab a coffee and if you want to talk I’m willing to listen, but if you don’t then I’m happy to drink coffee………’

Woohoo! You're back online at home, you've entered the new challenge, I got an unexpected day off of work and am able to catch the story just after you started posting it, and you say NO angst! Life is good!

Wonderful start, Cath!
Looking forward to more!

Tracy

Yay!!! Jack to the rescue! Poor Sue. Lucy better watch out, Sue might sic Levi on her!

Wonderful begining!!!!!! Can't wait for more, maybe Jack should go with Sue to the reunion, as support and everything

Cath, so glad you entered the challenge! I'm always entertained immensely by your stories! Now, I just love the way you write Jack.... oh, what I'd give to be rescued by him! I'll be interested to see where you go with this, besides the reunion, which I know Jack will accompany her!

Just think about all the new characters you can create! A whole class full of them!

Lynn

No angst... those words are like heaven when they come from you, Cath.

I'm sure Jack might have better luck convincing Sue to go than Lucy had... maybe as long as he offers to go along as her date... :clears throat:

A school reunion... without angst? This I gotta see! uh, OK, read!


(as close as I can get with smilies) Now isn't that a lovely mental image!

Looking forward to more!

Another story!

And NO angst!

Jack to Sue's rescue!

Ornella

here comes jack ready to save sue. i can't wait to see/ read how this turns out. i'm sure jack will gladly go with sue if she asked. maybe lucy will finally be able to talk sue into it.
I can't wait.
UPdATE soon.

fantastic another challenge story from Cath with no angst
with jack and sue with a high school reunion sue ask JACK this time to
Be your date please pretty please not dog park guy and no that nasty A word cropping up any where please
Lin

Chapter 2

‘Thanks for this Jack, she was driving me a little crazy…….’ Sue sipped her coffee and momentarily lost herself in the dark brown eyes.

‘I get an invitation every year, mom sends them on ….. usually they go straight in the trash and Lucy is none the wiser….. this year she was in the kitchen when I opened the letter……. she thinks I should go……’

‘And I’m guessing you don’t want to?’ his tone was soft and tender, his face filled with compassion.

Sue didn’t talk much about school but when she did it was almost always bad memories of loneliness and ridicule, a burden she had carried until arriving in DC and joining the team. His mind cast back to her friend’s wedding and even now he regretted not offering immediately to escort her to the wedding. He’d heard a little about it when Sue and Lucy talked about the rehearsal dinner and when Sue told Lucy and Tara about the wedding she had attended with David. Sometimes his stupidity and reticence amazed him.

‘I do and I don’t… I do because I want them to know how much I’ve achieved since I found people who believe in me but I don’t because when I think about the teasing and bullying, the loneliness it brings it all back and I’m at school again, sitting on my own in class or the cafeteria…… I guess you never have any problems attending reunions….’

‘I do actually’ he admitted softly, ‘but probably for different reasons…..’

‘Care to share?’ she asked, more than a little surprised.

Jack shrugged casually, ‘I enjoyed school, as much as you can when all you want to do is play hockey or join the FBI, I was popular….. but for the wrong reasons….. it got old telling the girls I wasn’t interested in… you know….. part of the reason I hung out with Allie was because it kept the other girls away from me…… I’ve been to a few reunions but as soon as they find out I’m single they’re all over me like a rash……. the last one was a couple of years and I invented a wonderful girlfriend who, because of work, was unable to come with me…….’

Sue’s lips curled in to a chuckle, ‘you invented a girlfriend? What is the world coming to? You could have asked any woman in the Hoover building to go with you and they would have accepted……’

‘That’s not true Thomas, I did ask someone and she couldn’t go because she had something planned with the girls……..’

‘That’s what you asked me to? Jack I’m so sorry, I thought it was …… I don’t know what I thought it was…… you didn’t say it was a reunion…..’

‘No, because when I mentioned the date you told me you were away so I didn’t go any further…..’

‘So what was your girlfriend like?’ Sue asked softly, mentally rebuking herself for blowing him off so quickly.

She remembered the brief conversation, he’d asked what she was doing one weekend, she’d checked her diary and explained the girls had booked the weekend for shopping, sappy movies and eating junk food and he’d turned away shrugging his shoulders.

‘Smart, beautiful, talented………’

‘I wouldn’t expect anything else’ she smiled, ‘what does this wonderful woman do?’

‘She works for the bureau’ he murmured. ’so, anyway when is this reunion?’

Sue did a double-take at the speed with which he’d changed the subject, ‘two weeks…….’

‘That’s not much notice’ Jack commented.

‘I had two months…… usually Lucy only comments in the evenings, or weekends but this morning I had a call from mom asking if I was going, I said no and Lucy decided it was her role to railroad me in to going…….. you just caught the end of the conversation……’

‘Would you go if you had someone to go with?’ he asked.

‘Possibly but since I don’t it’s kindof irrelevant…….’ she murmured.

‘Allow me to offer my services as your date…… escort……. make it boyfriend…… if you want….’

‘You really want to go to my high school reunion?’

‘I can think of better ways to spend a weekend but I’d very much like to give you some support and assist you in telling your old school friends, or enemies, just what you’ve achieved…… if you’d like me to……’

Sue swallowed hard as she stared in to his dark brown eyes, he had, somewhere along the line perfected the sorrowful puppy dog look favoured by Levi when he wanted something and which she found irresistible, ‘sure, I’d like that, if you don’t mind…… but I pay for everything……’

‘We’ll see’ he murmured, his heart pounding as he thought about a weekend away with Sue.

I like the way the story is taking!!

Keep posting!





Tere

Why do I think Jacks 'imaginary girlfriend' was blonde... and an analyst... maybe deaf...


Way to go, Jack!

More soon... please?

Jack's own reluctance to attend his own reunions must have bolstered Sue's spirits. I am thinking that this reunion is going to be ever so much nicer for Sue than her last.

Is this a legally-binding verbal contract? If not, it should be. Especially the word in BOLD!!!!!

CAn't wait for more!!!!

lindz

My heart is pounding too, just thinking about the weekend!

I'm thinking maybe they won't have to pretend he is her boyfriend!

Great turn of events! This is going to be fun, Cath!

Lynn

Btw where did you say there was not going to be any angst as so many have alluded in their comments? I thought maybe you said it on your "Disaster" post; but, no it wasn't there. Just curious. Knowing you, I find it hard to believe there won't be at least a teeney bit of angst here!

it says it in the topic title, let's just say i don't think it's angsty but some might

cath

Gee, I'm embarrassed, Cath!

Guess in my rush to get over here and read, my eyes never went past your screen name!

Going to have to watch that in the future! Thanks!

Lynn

Fantastic post, Cath!
Loving this story!!!!!

AHA!!!! Knowing you, I knew there had to be some sort of catch!

Tracy

I think it's so cute that Jack had to make up a girlfriend just so that he wouldn't be trampled by all the single women. I can't wait for the rest.

Hmmm...I wonder if Sue had persisted in her questioning about the fictionary girlfriend if she would have put two and two together! This is a great idea, cath!

kav

fantastic sue and jack at the reunionI think its going to be wonderful for sue better than the wedding with dog boy the perfect team in more ways than one jack and sue more soon please Cath
Lin

Cath do us all a favor and keep going!

I cant wait to see the reunion!! I think Sue will have all the girls there drooling over her dat/escort/"boyfriend". Heehee.

And could Jack have been cuter?

Chapter 3

‘Where’ve you been?’ Bobby asked as they entered the pen.

‘Interview and coffee’ Jack stated, his face poker face while his heart belied his thoughts.

‘Yeah? Bring us any?’ Bobby continued, trying to get a fix on what was going on.

‘As a matter of fact we did……’ Sue handed the coffees around while Jack placed a box of donuts on the desk before heading upstairs to see Ted.

‘Where’s he gone?’ Myles asked before shoving a jam filled donut in his mouth.

‘Who knows?’ Sue asked softly, suppressing a small smile as she took her seat and switched on the computer.

‘What interview did you have to go to?’ Luce asked, sidling quietly beside Sue.

‘An interview I’d forgotten about, to clear up a few things’ Sue was firm and Lucy backed off from mentioning the reunion again recognising that if she pushed Sue then her friend was likely to get riled.

‘Jack, what can I do for you?’ Ted indicated for Jack to take the seat in front of his desk.

‘I wanted to book some time off… for myself and Sue……. two weeks…..’

‘You want two weeks off? Is there something I should know about?’ Ted asked softly, leaning back in his seat.

‘No, sir…. two weeks time, Sue and I need Friday afternoon and the following Monday off. She has a reunion coming up and she didn’t want to attend so I suggested I go with her…… pretend to be her boyfriend, give her a little support…’

Ted chuckled as Jack blushed furiously and he wondered when the pair of them would get a clue, ‘and she needs a pretend boyfriend because?’

‘Because she didn’t have a great time at high school and she doesn’t want to go alone even though she has achieved so much….. I offered sir, Sue would never ask…. so is it ok? For us to have the time off?’

‘Sure….. I’ll sign it off…. are you flying or driving?’

‘Driving….. flying hurts her ears and Levi isn’t too keen either, we thought we could take it slow, drive up Friday afternoon…. I’ll let Sue know, thanks Ted…’

As Jack left Ted held his head in his hands and let out a long and frustrated sigh, one of these days he was going to lock them in a conference room and refuse to let them out until they finally admitted their feelings. ‘Maybe a weekend away will be enough’ he muttered to himself before shaking his head, maybe not with this pair, they obviously valued their friendship too much to risk losing it for something they didn’t believe was possible.

Signing off on the leave he wondered how it was that such a crack agent couldn’t see what was right in front of him.

Entering he pen and snatching up the last donut Jack ambled over to Sue’s desk, ‘Ted agreed the leave’ he whispered, ensuring no-one could see his lips or hear his voice.

Sue watched as he ambled away and felt herself begin to tear up, a weekend with Jack would be sheer heaven with an awful lot of hell thrown in. It was almost 6 months since she had decided to stay and so much had changed within the team but one thing remained unchanged, despite the many hints and comments from Lucy she and Jack remained friends and it didn’t look as though anything was about to change.

Sighing she focussed her attention from his very cute butt to her computer screen as she tried to drag her mind away from her rambling imaginings about the weekend with Jack.

‘So, care to share what exactly you were doing with the fair Miss Thomas?’ Bobby asked as they wandered their way to the deli for lunch.

‘Interview’ Jack answered, keeping it short and simple.

‘Interview? Nothing to do with the topic of conversation she had with Lucy this morning?’ Jack sighed as he noticed Bobby’s broad grin.

‘Ok, I felt she needed rescuing, and before you say anything Sue was very grateful……..’

‘Grateful enough to ask you to go with her?’

‘Nope……’ Jack lowered his head and hid his smile, technically he wasn’t lying since he’d offered.

‘Ya know I really thought you might have got together now Spark, now the rule has gone…… it’s not like you can hide behind it any longer……’

‘It’s complicated’ Jack protested lamely, knowing complicated wasn’t the reason, he was just plain scared, scared of losing his most precious friendship for something Sue probably didn’t even want and if he declared his feelings and she rejected him then he would lose the person who was a better friend than even Bobby.

‘Yeah right Spark, how complicated can it get? You want to date her, she wants to date you…….. I mean you haven’t had a date in so long I’m surprised you can remember what to do on a date and Sue hasn’t dated since she found out David was two-timing her and it’s not like she hasn’t had any offers…….. I think you two are holding out for each other and the rate you’re going you’ll still both be holding out when the Big Guy calls you home…..’

‘It’s complicated, just take it from me, I wish it wasn’t but it is……’

‘Care to share?’ Bobby pushed just a little more, hoping that if he could find out why Jack was so reticent he could give them a shove in the right direction.

‘If it goes wrong I lose my best friend…..’

‘That’s it???????? Jack I don’t know what planet you’re on but there’s no way it will go wrong, you two are made for each other…….if anyone’s relationship was gong to go wrong it would have been mine and Tara’s….. I mean I have my gambling addiction, to say nothing of the baggage I carry from having Mac as a father …Tara comes from a broken home… you two have great parents, happy, stable families, no deep, dark secrets…’

‘I know but she has a whole other life I can’t even begin to fit into…..’

‘Spark that’s rubbish and you know it……. you fit in to her other life just right, ok we all know you struggle with signing, we all do but you do better than all of us, even Lucy and she got to attend classes…….. Helga and Deanne think the world of you, Troy treats you like a friend, Amanda and Ben think you’re great…… and Sue is crazy about you…..’

‘You know that relationships with differences don’t always work out the way we want them to and I don’t want to hurt her…..’

‘Ok, so they don’t always work out but many do, look at Harvard and Lucy, they’re working out this time and you can’t get much more different than those two…..maybe you should offer to take her to this reunion, make up for blowing her out at the wedding….’

‘Maybe’ Jack muttered before turning his attention to the menu and effectively rendering Bobby speechless.

Smart words from the best mate. Maybe they're just what Jack needed to kick his butt into shape.

Great post, Cath! Loved that Jack went to Ted and asked him for the time off for both of them. Ted has a super idea there about locking them in the conference room until they admit their feelings for each other. And loved how Bobby persisted in talking about Jack and Sue, even though Jack didn't want him to and that Jack just simply, FINALLY, told Bobby what was keeping him from telling Sue how he feels. And Bobby didn't miss a beat! Loved how Bobby just kept at him, dispelling each reason Jack gave for being a

and then left Bobby 'in the dust' speechless when Jack finally agreed he should "Maybe" offer to take her to the reunion! This scene played out perfectly, Cath!

A great post!

Lynn

fantastic A weekend away together could work big
time for both to admit there feelings to each other and with him
on her arm a load of the woman will to think what sues
got cant wait for more
Lin

Jack, going to the reunion is a wonderful idea, not just listen to Bobby would you!!!

Well the reunion sounds like its a go...so Jack make a move!

Wait a minute...the reunion is only a weekend, right? but Jack has booked two weeks off for both of them?

kav

Another wonderful post, Cath!
Loved the conversation with Bobby...hopefully Jack will take what Bobby said to heart!


Actually the reunion is in two weeks. Jack asked for Friday and Monday off.

Tracy

OK, you know it's bad when your work supervisor is trying to get you to realise how you feel...

Loved the conversation between Jack & Bobby... he hit the nail right of the head, didn't he?

Looking forward to more!

Chapter 4

Lounging on the couch that night Jack considered Bobby’s words. He’d not long come home from an evening at Little Bookworm Club followed by dinner at their favourite Chinese restaurant and a walk with Levi.

He sighed longingly, he wanted to date Sue but his history was somewhat patchy and their friendship was too precious to risk.

‘Maybe a weekend away will help’ he muttered to himself as he flicked through the TV channels looking for something to take his mind off the turmoil in his heart.

‘So……. are you going to the reunion?’ Lucy pounced on Sue the second she ambled into the apartment.

‘Luce, can you drop it…… I’ve told you I don’t want to go and why…… you’re like a dog with a bone when you want something…… but at least Levi drops it when I tell him.’

Lucy sighed as Sue and Levi disappeared from view and once again she wished she’d listened to Myles who had told her repeatedly that evening to stop harassing Sue. ‘You know she had a rough time and maybe she doesn’t want to revisit such a rotten time. Not everyone enjoyed school and college as much as you did….’

‘But she could take Jack, ask him to pretend to be her boyfriend, it could be the shove he needs…….’

‘This is Sue we’re talking about, you really think she’s gonna say ‘hey Jack, I have this reunion to go to, would you rock up with me and pretend to be my boyfriend……..?’It’s not going to happen Luce, however much you might want it…..’

‘So, maybe I can suggest to Jack that he offers…….’

‘Luce, drop it……. I know it’s frustrating and you want them to be happy but you have to leave them to it……’

Her words of protestation had been swallowed by the first of many kisses and the subject had not been revisited until Sue walked in through the door.

Snuggling in to bed Sue smiled to herself as she scratched Levi behind the ears, so far she had put Lucy off the scent and she hoped it would last a little longer before Lucy said those magic words ‘I told you so,’

Her mom had squealed with delight when Sue rang from Jack’s to say she would be up and bringing Jack with her and Sue had sworn her to secrecy before emailing Sharon who was organising the reunion.

She’d sighed with longing as she typed the word boyfriend, unaware that Jack had heard. Her and Jack as an item seemed as out of reach as it did the day she met him.

‘Why can’t he feel about me the way I feel about him buddy?’ she asked as Levi snuffled his way up the bed and licked her hand.

This bit was so... Sue! I could hear it in my head - that tone of exasperation!



Let's hope he tells her that he does feel the same way on the weekend away...

Looking forward to the next installment!

I'm enjoying this story very much! Can't wait to see what happens at the actual reunion and during their weekend together!

Thanks tis*me explaining about the two weeks thing...I was so hoping that Jack was going to tag on a romantic holiday after the reunion that I misread it!

kav

Go Bobby! You tell ole Sparky.

Heehee, I love how Sue handles Lucy. So Bobby and Tara and Myles and Lucy? Cool. And SUe and Jack are still taking clueless pills? *Sigh*

wonderful now jack open your mouth and say those 3 little words
to sue what are you hun man or mouse now A mini vacation should work wonders
more soon please Cath
Lin

I agree!

Another wonderful post, Cath!
No problem, Kav...

Tracy

I hope going to this shindig is just the right thing to push those two together. I think acting like a real couple will cause them to become a real couple. I hope, I hope, I hope.

This is one very exciting story....Jack and Sue have a chance to come together as a couple and Sue has a chance to prove all her classmates wrong!

This keeps on getting better!

Oh, Sue is devious with Lucy. Well, Lucy deserves it for being so dogged in her pursuit to get Jack and Sue together. Now, was that Lucy and Myles? Loved Myles’ firmness with Lucy. I can just hear him saying that to Lucy and it comes thru with the softness of his new attitude brought about by Sue and, most undoubtedly, enhanced by this renewed relationship with Lucy! Loving this story Cath!

Lynn

PS. Kav, I read that "two weeks" the same way you did and had my question already typed up. Then I got interrupted and when I came back a little later and reread that scene, it was clear as a bell!

Linny, you express my sentiments exactly:

Chapter 5

‘Ready?’ Jack asked as they left the pen on Friday lunchtime.

‘As ready as I’ll ever be…… you don’t have to do this you know.’

‘Yes I do…. I’ve booked time off so what am I going to do with all this time off if I don’t come with you? You wouldn’t want me to be sad and lonely all weekend would you?’

‘Guess not’ she smiled.

‘I thought I’d go home and change in to something more comfortable, the car’s packed, do you want to come with me or shall I pick you up?’

‘I came in with Lucy….. Charlie has my car to service it. She’s been like a cracked record since she found out we were going…… there are times when it’s an advantage to be deaf…….’

Jack smiled at her ability to see the positives in any situation, ‘ok you can come with me, we’ll pick up your gear then head out……’

Leaving Jack to carry her bags to the car Sue quickly changed in to a pair of jeans and t-shirt then ran down the stairs to meet him at the car, grinning as she saw Levi settle himself on the back seat.

‘New blanket Hudson?’ she teased lightly.

Jack blushed a little, ‘yeah, I washed the other one but it wasn’t dry….. so I dug around a little, found this one……’

‘Levi and I thank you’ she smiled, watching him blush a little more.

‘No problem, I thought we could stop somewhere for lunch then grab dinner’ he suggested, ‘I’ve never been to Ohio……. well I’ve kinda driven through it to get to Wisconsin but never stopped to admire the scenery….. I’m looking forward to this weekend….’

‘Yeah? Wish I was’ Sue murmured.

‘Hey, we’ll do great……. just remember I’m gonna be here every step of the way and we make a great team…..’

‘Thank you for this Jack, it means a lot to have you do this and next time you need a stand in girlfriend just let me know……..’

‘I’ll hold you to that Thomas’ he grinned, wondering what social occasion he could attend which required him to take a girlfriend.

‘So, you made any plans for tomorrow?’ he asked as they finally exited DC.

‘Not really, I figured we’d be a little too tired for doing much but there are a few places we could visit, but you have to let me drive since I know where I’m going…….’

‘Are you casting doubts on my ability to drive us any place without getting lost, Thomas?’ he teased.

‘Well, since you mention it Hudson, yes I am…..’ she grinned.

They chatted easily for an hour or so before Jack pulled up at a diner, needing food, a bathroom break and to stretch his legs.

Since Jack had refused to accept any gas money Sue ordered and paid for lunch while he was out the way, refusing his efforts to hand her the money, ‘I told you I was paying since you’re helping me out of a bind and don’t argue or I’ll take the car keys and drive us right back to DC……’ she chuckled as Jack held his hands up in mock surrender and shoved the money back in his pocket.

‘So, what plans do you have?’

‘I think dad was hoping maybe you’d have a round of golf with him and it would help our cover story, boyfriend playing golf with my dad…….’

‘That works for me… anything else?’

‘Well, there is this fantastic candy store 15 miles outside of Youngstown, Daffins’ Candies Chocolate Kingdom, they make and sell fabulous chocolate….’

‘Sounds good, maybe we can play golf and go to the candy store’ he suggested.

‘You can play golf, I am more your crazy golf girl’ she smiled and he felt his heart do flipflops.

‘Yeah? I never knew that, maybe when we get home we could have a team game…. show us how good you are.’

‘I never said I was good Jack, just that I’m more crazy golf than real golf…….’

‘So, with the reunion Saturday that covers day one, what do you want to do Sunday?’

‘Weeeeellllll…….. there is a really nice place, Shanango River Lake…… places to picnic and walk Levi… I thought maybe we could have a picnic lunch with mom and dad, since we are supposed to be dating and it would give us an excuse not to spend any more time with them than we need to, not that I expect anyone is gonna want to spend time with me. But I’m sure they will want to spend time with you…….. especially the women…..’

‘Well if they want to spend time with me they’ll be picnicking with us, this weekend is for you and about you and I’m not going anywhere with anyone, particularly people who have hurt you badly……’ he ran his thumb over her knuckles as tears filled his eyes when he considered how lonely her life had been for so long.

‘You ok Jack?’

‘Yeah just wondering why people have to be so cruel to those who are different….. I want you to know that if it gets difficult and you want to leave then we go……’

‘Thanks, maybe we should get moving.’ As they left the diner Jack slipped his arm around her shoulder, ‘we are supposed to be dating, just getting in to the feel of it……’

His heart pounded as she sighed and snuggled closer as they walked Levi before heading back to the car.

‘So, we need to get our story straight, how did we meet?’

‘Didn’t you pick me up in a bar, Hudson?’ Sue grinned, earning herself a dark look and an admonishing finger from Jack.

‘I thought we met through friends’ he chuckled.

‘Yeah, in a bar where you picked me up….’

‘Have you ever been to a bar, Thomas?’

‘Only with you guys, when you only drink the odd glass of wine it’s not someplace you visit very often……’

‘So maybe we should stick to the truth, tell them we met through work and fell in love…….’ Jack suggested.

‘Ok, how long have we been dating?’

‘A year?’ Jack suggested, smiling as Sue nodded her agreement.

‘How long before our first kiss? And don’t mention the undercover kiss…..’

‘First date……’ he grinned.

‘First date? You think we would have kissed on the first date…..’

‘I would have kissed you on the cheek on our first date yes and if things were going well I would have kissed you on the lips after a week……. only gently, the merest brush of lips…..’

‘So how long before we would have kissed like we did in dragon lady’s office?’ Sue asked, her brain whirling at the thought of being kissed by Jack.

‘How long do you think? Not that we would ever have shared a kiss like that if we were dating’

‘We wouldn’t?’ for some reason she was disappointed to think that he wouldn’t want to kiss her with that much passion.

‘No, because that was a response to a situation, and I would never kiss you as a response to a situation……’

She choked back the breath which was stuck in her throat and tried to cobble together a coherent thought, ‘so when do you think we would have shared a kiss like that which wasn’t a response to a situation?’

‘Couple of weeks, maybe sooner if you were comfortable….. how does that sound?’

‘I don’t know how it sounds but it looks good…… and I’m sure it would feel good too……’ thankfully Jack appeared oblivious to the colour rising in her cheeks.

‘What do you like best about me? And this time you have hours in which to go in to detail……..’

‘How about you tell me what you like about me, give me time to come up with something’ she teased.

‘How long do you need?’ he asked, tongue shoved firmly in his cheek.

Sue checked her watch, ‘5 hours?’

‘It’s gonna take you till we reach Youngstown to find something you like?’ he squeaked, ‘maybe I should turn around now…..or you can carry on and I’ll hitch back to DC……..’

‘I’ve thought of something…… your very odd sense of humour….’ she slapped him lightly on the arm, almost jumping out of her skin when he caught her hand and kissed the knuckles softly.

‘One thing, wow, maybe I should go back to picking up women in bars….’ he gently placed her hand on her thigh and left his hand resting over hers.

‘That’s one more than you’ve come up with Hudson….’

‘Ok, you’re warm, caring, compassionate, you see the best in people, you see what they can achieve if someone believes in them. You have a wonderfully generous and compassionate heart, you are incredibly beautiful, you have a wonderful smile…… you’ve been my rock in difficult times, my friend even when I have been, to use Bobby’s colourful description, a total drongo. Having you on the team has enriched my life more than I thought possible, you’ve changed each one of us, even Myles and I never thought that was possible……I’ve started to learn a new language even if I won’t ever be very good at it, I’ve met so many great people, people like Deanne and Helga, Amanda and Troy……you drive me crazy at times and you can be a little too trusting and to keen to see the best in people but …… but my life would be so much poorer if you weren’t in it……I love watching you sign even when I haven’t got the first clue what you’re saying………’

Turning his head so she couldn’t read his lips he whispered, ‘I love you, Sue’ as he had so many times in the last few years.

‘Wow, all that?’ she whispered, wondering how it was possible for him to come up with all that in such a short space of time, ‘idiot’ she muttered to herself, ‘he’s been thinking about how to carry this off since he suggested it, as far as he’s concerned it’s an undercover, just like our ‘marriage’ and Callaghan and Merced.’

‘You want more?’ he asked softly, ‘because I can think of plenty more things I like about you, if you need more time to come up with something you like about me……’

I loved the whole conversation, Cath! You are soooooo goooood!

QUOTE

‘Ok, you’re warm, caring, compassionate, you see the best in people, you see what they can achieve if someone believes in them. You have a wonderfully generous and compassionate heart, you are incredibly beautiful, you have a wonderful smile…… you’ve been my rock in difficult times, my friend even when I have been, to use Bobby’s colourful description, a total drongo. Having you on the team has enriched my life more than I thought possible, you’ve changed each one of us, even Myles and I never thought that was possible……I’ve started to learn a new language even if I won’t ever be very good at it, I’ve met so many great people, people like Deanne and Helga, Amanda and Troy……you drive me crazy at times and you can be a little too trusting and to keen to see the best in people but …… but my life would be so much poorer if you weren’t in it……I love watching you sign even when I haven’t got the first clue what you’re saying………’

Turning his head so she couldn’t read his lips he whispered, ‘I love you, Sue’ as he had so many times in the last few years.

‘Wow, all that?’ she whispered, wondering how it was possible for him to come up with all that in such a short space of time, ‘idiot’ she muttered to herself, ‘he’s been thinking about how to carry this off since he suggested it, as far as he’s concerned it’s an undercover, just like our ‘marriage’ and Callaghan and Merced.’

‘You want more?’ he asked softly, ‘because I can think of plenty more things I like about you, if you need more time to come up with something you like about me……’

I'm simply melting

Even if Jack did turn his head to say "I love you, Sue" and even if Sue thinks he said it undercover. I think she will discover this weekend he was not making it up. Now, can we have what Sue thinks of Jack? This evening, maybe? To go to bed on?

Lynn

Aw, Sue. After a reponse like Jack's, you really need to come up with lot's of things that you like about him.

Sue if you dont swoon over that I will!

that was beautiful but you have to tell sue to her face that you love her pity she didnt see it in the glass so jack hun bobbys right your a drongo more soon please cath
Lin